Not Invited
by Nixa Jane
Summary: Sara and Warrick are fighting…over Nick.


Not Invited

* * *

Author's Note: Pointless little mini-fic, written because when I'm over tired, I write banter. Warrick and Sara were unlikely choices for me, but there you go…

Note: Takes place in season one, when Warrick and Sara only seemed to tolerate each other, and Sara and Nick were flirting shamelessly.

* * *

"Hey, Nick," Warrick said as he walked into the break room and collapsed on the couch. "That was one long shift. I hate it when we find bodies in dumpsters. Evidence retrieval is hell."

Nick let out an amused snort. "It's very inconsiderate of murderers, isn't it?"

Warrick turned to glare at him. "You had it easy. You just had to interview people. You're not allowed to mock."

Nick gave him a wide smile. "Sorry, man."

"You want to go grab breakfast?" Warrick asked. "I'm starved."

"He can't."

Warrick glanced up, in the direction of the sharp voice. Sara Sidle, the Las Vegas Crime Lab's newest recruit, stood haughtily in the doorway. He raised an eyebrow. "I hadn't realized he needed your permission."

Nick just shook his head at them both and leaned against the counter with a cup of coffee.

Sara pursed her lips into a self-satisfied smile. "Nick offered to show me around Las Vegas." She paused. "You're not invited."

Warrick turned to look at Nick, who shrugged. "You're showing her around?" he snapped.

"She doesn't know where anything is," Nick said with a laugh. He turned to wink at Sara. "You know me, I'm a sucker for a damsel in distress."

"Oh," Sara laughed. "You're pushing it, cowboy." Her grin ruined the threat.

"I'll have to take a rain check, Warrick," Nick said as he grabbed for his coat.

Warrick glared at him. "You're ditching me for the teacher's pet?"

"Teacher's pet?" Sara echoed, in that understated way she had. "Oh, that's very good, Warrick. I wasn't aware this was High School."

"Guys, come on," Nick said with a sigh. He was ignored.

"You think you're so smart," Warrick said disgustedly. "You don't know anything about any of us. You can't just come here--"

"I received an offer to come here," Sara interrupted quickly. "From your boss."

"He's your boss too," Warrick said.

Sara crossed her arms. "You're very easily threatened, aren't you?"

"Nick," Warrick said, turning away from Sara. "You actually want to spend the day with this woman?"

"Nick actually has a good taste in character," Sara answered before Nick could open his mouth. "The only thing I can't figure out is why he likes you."

Deciding this might take awhile, Nick dropped down onto the couch and grabbed a forensic magazine off the coffee table.

Warrick laughed. "Nick is just being nice. It's an annoying habit he has."

"You can't stand it, can you?" Sara asked with a smirk.

Warrick almost crossed his arms, but realizing he would be mimicking Sara if he did, he kept them at his sides. "Stand what?"

"That Nick and I are friends," she said.

"Friends?" Warrick scoffed. "You're not friends. You barely know each other. Nick and I have been working together for years."

Nick turned the page, having effectively tuned them both out. He could have easily stopped the conversation in its tracks, it being about him, but he was reaching the point where he was too tired to care. And it _was_ amusing, in a distant kind of way.

"Nick and I have spent a lot of time together," Sara said defensively. "He's the only one of any of you that has any decency at all--no one else will give me the time of day."

"I can't imagine why," he snapped. "Seeing as how you're so charming."

Sara smiled sweetly. "You keep avoiding the point. Why are you so upset if Nick and I want to spend some time together? A little possessive, aren't we?"

"Aren't we? Who talks like that?" Warrick snapped in disbelief. He turned to Nick for support, but Nick didn't even glance up.

"You're still changing the subject," Sara said, with a small shake of her head. "Nick is taking me on a tour. You'll just have to see him tonight, at work. Of course, after next shift we're going to his place--he has the James Bond movies on DVD and we're going to have a marathon. Aren't we, Nick?"

Nick waved dismissively in her direction, trying his best not to get involved. Being competitive with Warrick was one thing, but throw Sara in the mix and he wanted nothing whatever to do with it.

"You're not invited to that, either," Sara said smugly.

Warrick bristled. "Yeah, well Nick and I are going out for beers to watch the game on Sunday."

Sara looked unimpressed. "How nice for you both."

Nick glanced up, as Warrick and Sara entered round two, and let the magazine slip from his fingers to the table. He got to his feet and edged around them to lean in the doorway.

He heard Warrick call Sara a know-it-all under his breath. Nick shook his head, the motion caused by something between amusement and disbelief, and then started from the room.

Since his two friends were obviously keeping themselves entertained, he was going home to get some sleep. He could show Sara around tomorrow instead, and just so things wouldn't get boring, he could always invite Warrick along. Neither of them noticed him leave, and as he started out the front doors, he smiled wryly and wondered how long it would take before they did.


End file.
